The Mike Borgonzi masterclass in making teams pay up continues. The Tennessee Titans sent another player who was hot on the trade board, safety Amani Hooker, to the Buffalo Bills in a blockbuster trade on Tuesday.
The trade comes hours before the deadline shuts. According to ESPN’s Ian Rapoport, the Titans get a 2027 2nd-round pick in exchange for Hooker, and the Buffalo Bills get a 5th-round pick.
Titans Send Amani Hooker to Bills for 2nd-Round Pick
Although they had to give up a 5th-round pick, they still made the Bills give away a 2nd-round pick, shortly after they received multiple first-round picks in their blockbuster Jeffery Simmons trade.
Borgonzi is clear in their rebuilding vision, and scoring such premium draft assets is a massive investment for their vision. Sitting at the bottom of their division, they didn’t need many veterans, especially the All-Pro ones whom they can cash in immediately, anyway.
“Amani Hooker has spent all eight NFL seasons in Tennessee and has 17 career INTs, including five this season. Three of those came in his last game against Joe Burrow and the Bengals,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes.
Hooker isn’t just a mid-season rental, either. The veteran safety signed a lucrative three-year, $48.6 million contract extension with Tennessee featuring $29 million in guaranteed money. By bringing him in, Buffalo inherits a proven, high-end starter averaging $14 million annually through the 2028 season.
As for the Bills, they get the much-needed help on defense as they make an undeniable case for a Super Bowl run — no matter how steep a price they had to pay.
Bills Acquire Titans Safety Amani Hooker in Urgent Deadline Trade